In the field of dental medicine, metal amalgams and foils for tooth restoration are giving way to non-metal compositions, such as the composite materials, both light and self-curing. These new restorative materials are advantageous over the prior art metal amalgams in that they are biologically inert, take less time to work with and achieve a more desirable cosmetic effect in terms of matched tooth coloration.
The main drawback with the modern restorative materials is the finishing of the tooth after the material has been cured by polymerization or other chemical reaction. Conventionally, after the tooth has been excavated of the lesion by drilling, the site is isolated with a rubber dam or similar device to insure isolation of the site from any adjacent teeth. The restorative material is then mixed in the proper proportions and inserted into the excavated site. Very often the restorative material is cured by directing a high intensity light beam onto the matrix. It is sometimes necessary to slightly overfill the excavated site with restorative material to insure complete filling with cured material. After curing is complete, the excess material must be removed. Conventionally, the material is removed by manually urging a polishing cloth or the like back and forth until the excess material is removed. Rotary disks and high speed bits compromise the integrity of the surface and are, at best, time consuming. Sanding strips, frequently used, may break upon being inserted between the teeth. Further, excessive force used when inserting a strip may cause trauma to the gingival region near the base of the tooth, thereby causing hemorrhage to the tissue.
Numerous prior art devices exist which attempt to aid in the sanding and finishing of restorative materials. U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,152 to McClure discloses a flexible sanding device for curable dental restorations comprising a flexible strip having an abrasive surface on one side thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 2,090,904 to Singer discloses an H-shaped, resilient dental matrix adapted for being placed between adjacent teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,342 to Von Nostitz and U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,979 to Ginsburg disclose dental impression trays constructed of plastic material which may be softened at relatively low temperature.
The aforementioned prior art devices either provide a barrier between teeth while filling a tooth with restorative material or provide a sanding strip for positioning around the tooth to etch away excess restorative material after curing. None of the prior art patents discloses a method of finishing the restorative material either before or during the curing of the restorative material. Accordingly, such a method and appropriate apparatus would result in increased efficiency and reduced trauma to surrounding teeth.